by Rachel Cooke
Sheffield University, 109
Shepheard, Peter, Modern Gardens, 160
Shodhan, Villa, 96‡
Shute, Nevil, 213
Sight and Sound (BFI journal), 175
Simmons, Jean, 196
Simon and Laura (Muriel Box film), 174, 175–6, 200, 201, 202
Sinatra, Frank, 302
Sinden, Donald, 174, 205, 208
Sissinghurst Castle, 131, 161, 165, 244
Sitwell, Sir Osbert, 58
Skelly, George, The Cameo Conspiracy , 281*
Slow Food movement, 42
Smiles, Samuel, 50
Smith, Bill, 264–5
Smith, Ivor, 109*
Smith, Stevie, 311
Smithdon High School, Hunstanton, 95, 101–6, 102*, 103, 104*, 105*†, 128
Smithson, Alison, 91, 99; background of, 97–8; Beatrix Potter as inspiration, 96–7; buildings designed by, 93*, 95, 101–6, 118–21, 120, 123–5, 124, 126–8; at Cato Lodge, Kensington, 95–6; childcare and, 94, 95, 109; clothing made by, 111, 301; death of (1993), 127; at Durham University, 98–9, 100; experience of wartime bombing, 98; failures in competitions, 108–9; House of the Future, 113–16, 114, 301; lack of work in 1960s, 125–6; lifestyle of, 93–5, 110–12; marries Peter (1949), 100–1, 101; nature of relationship with Peter, 110–11, 122; New Brutalism and, 106–8, 128; parenting style, 121–2; Patio & Pavilion installation at This is Tomorrow, 116–18, 117; photo of at Solar Pavilion (1964), 92, 93–5; physical appearance, 93; planning permission and, 96–7; reputation for being difficult, 109–10, 121–2, 128; sexuality, 122; at the Solar Pavilion, 92, 93–5; Team X and, 108, 108*; visible legacy of, 127–8; AS in DS: An Eye on the Road, 111*; Portrait of the Artist as a Young Girl, 126
Smithson, Peter, 91; buildings designed by, 93*, 95, 101–6, 118–21, 120, 123–5, 124, 126–8; at Cato Lodge, Kensington, 95–6; death of (2003), 127; at Durham University, 99–100; failures in competitions, 108–9; on Festival of Britain, 106*, 109*; House of the Future and, 113, 114, 114, 116; Independent Group and, 108; lack of work in 1960s, 125–6; lifestyle of, 110–12; on Magda Cordell, xxxvi; marries Alison (1949), 100–1, 100*, 101; nature of relationship with Alison, 110–11, 122; New Brutalism and, 106–8, 128; Patio & Pavilion installation at This is Tomorrow, 116–18, 117; Team X and, 108, 108*; at Upper Lawn, 93, 95; views on furniture, 94; war service in Burma, 99–100; work of Mies van der Rohe and, 105*; The Charged Void, 127
Smithson, Samantha, 121–2, 125*
Smithson, Simon, 109, 119, 122*, 125†
Smithson, Soraya, 111†, 122
Smythson, Robert, 105
snoek, 4
Snowdon, Lord, 253
So Long at the Fair (Betty and Sydney Box/Fisher/Darnborough film), 196
social class: abortion and, xxvii, 64*; Margery Fish’s background, 136–7; Patience Gray’s background, 7, 8–10, 13, 15; hair curlers and, 266*; Jacquetta Hawkes background, 224–5, 228, 241, 251, 255*; Nancy Spain and, 50–1; theatre and cinema and, 195
Soho shops, 25–6
Solar Pavilion, Tisbury, Wiltshire, 92, 93–5, 97
The Soldier’s Food (wartime documentary), 189
Sound City studios, Shepperton, 204
South Shields, 97–8, 114
Southsea, Hampshire, 177–8
Spain, George Redesdale Brooker, 50, 52
Spain, Liz, 52
Spain, Nancy, 45; affair with Dolly Goodman, 84; affair with Ginette Spanier, 67–70, 69, 84; affair with Marlene Dietrich, 67; background of, 50–1; as biographer of Isabella Beeton, 50, 56; Betty Box and, 209; celebrity friends, 47, 55–6; clothing and dress, 50, 51, 52, 60*, 66–7, 83; courage of, 48–50; death in plane crash (1964), 85–7, 86*; death of Bin and, 54; fear of scandal, 83–4; finances of, 56–7; Gilbert Harding and, 47, 48, 64–6; as incurable spendthrift, 47; Naomi ‘Mickie’ Jacob as role model, 51–2; journalism, 47–8, 53, 55–6, 57–8, 60, 65, 70, 83; lesbian sexuality of, 50, 53–4, 58–9, 61, 64*, 67–8, 83; lives at home rent-free, 52–3; as novelist, 55, 56, 63, 66; as panellist on What’s My Line?, 66; physical appearance, 52; plays lacrosse and hockey, 53; portfolio of secret love nests, 87; radio drama and, 53*; as regular on Woman’s Hour, 65, 89; relationship with Joan Werner Laurie, 57–9, 60–4, 65, 66–7, 70, 81–3, 84–5; relationship with Winifred ‘Bin’ Sargeant, 53–4; at Roedean school, 50–1, 56*; secrecy over son Thomas, 60–4, 66, 88, 89; social climbing by, 48; in south of France with Bin, 53–4; spoken voice of, 50–1; trip to Jamaica with Harding, 65–6; Sheila van Damm and, 82–3, 84–5; in WRNS during war, 48–9, 54–5, 59; Cinderella Goes to the Morgue, 56, 63; A Funny Thing Happened, 84; Nancy Spain Colour Cookery Book, 83*; Poison for Teacher, 56*; Poison in Play, 55; Thank You – Nelson, 55; The Kat Strikes, 66; Why I’m Not a Millionaire, 47–50, 49, 51, 52, 53, 54, 56, 58–9, 60–1, 67, 68, 89
Spain, Norah Elizabeth, 50, 52
Spanier, Ginette, 67–70, 69, 84, 86; It Isn’t All Mink, 70; And Now It’s Sables, 68, 86*
sparrow pie, 4
Spectator, 175
Spence, Basil, 109, 161*
Spigolizzi in Apulia, 39–44, 40, 42
Spilsbury, Sir Bernard, 274
sport, 53
Spring-Rice, Cecil, 141
St Hilda’s College, Oxford, 126
Stallard, Walter, 284
Standish, Mary, 284
Stanham, Hermann (Hermann Warschawski), 8, 9, 10–12, 15, 16
Stanham, Olive, 8, 9, 10, 10, 11–13, 14, 20
Stanham, Tania, 10, 14, 17, 18, 34
Stark, Freya, 244
Stephen, Ann, 15
Stephen, Wilson, 147–8
stiletto heels, 302
Stirling, James, 111†
Stoll Picture Productions, 179–80
Strachey, Pernel, 227*
Street Corner (Muriel Box film), 199–201
Stuart, Douglas, 284
subtopia, 160*
Subway in the Sky (Muriel Box film), 200
Suez Crisis, xiii, xxxv
suffragettes, 52*, 200, 224–5, 248*, 268*, 292–3
Sugden House, Watford, 118–21
Summerskill, Edith, 215
Sunday Empire News, 55, 56
Sunday Express, xxiii, 284, 286*
Sunday Times, 55, 110, 175, 223
Sutherland, Graham, 18*, 109*, 117
Sutton Courtenay Manor House, 160–2
Sutton Hoo ship burial, 219*
Swanley Horticultural College, 156
Sylvester, David, 32*
Syms, Sylvia, xx, xxiv, xxvii, xxx, xxxvii, 301–2
synthetic materials, xvii, 115, 116, 303
A Tale of Two Cities (Betty Box/Ralph Thomas film), 208–9, 209*
Taylor, Elizabeth (actress), 303
Taylor, Elizabeth (writer), 56†; Angel, 310
Technicolor Fifties, xi
The Teckman Mystery (Wendy Toye film), 174
Tecta, furniture manufacturer, 127
Teddy girls, 303
Teflon, 51, 51*
television, 34*, 64, 66, 83, 117, 201, 220–1, 223; Animal, Vegetable, Mineral? , 220–1, 223; Coronation Street, 83; This Is Your Life, 70; What’s My Line?, 47, 64, 66
Tell England (Anthony Asquith film), 183*, 184
Tempest, Pat, 238*
The Ten Commandments (Cecil B. DeMille film), 210†
textile and fabric design, xx, xxxiv, xxxvi–xxxvii, 21, 21†, 37*; Festival Pattern Group, 24*; in film and theatre, 201, 202, 229–30, 303
Thames & Hudson, 20
Thatcher, Margaret, xxxvi*, 290, 290*
theatre, 31, 112, 185–8, 230*; amateur dramatic societies, 182, 186–7, 188; Windmill Theatre, Soho, 70, 71, 72–5, 74*, 77, 80, 83, 84, 89–90
This Other Eden (Muriel Box film), 200
Thomas, Dylan, 21*
Thomas, Gerald, 206
Thomas, Leonard, 280
Thomas, Ralph, 204–6, 205; Campbell’s Kingdom, 210; The Clouded Yellow , 204; Conspiracy of Hearts, 208; Doctor
at Sea, 208; Doctor in the House, 174–5, 207–8; The Iron Petticoat, 209, 209–10; No Love for Johnnie, 208; Percy’s Progress, 213; A Tale of Two Cities, 209; Venetian Bird, 206; The Wind Cannot Read, 210–11
Thompson, J. Lee, 174*
Tidman’s Sea Salt, 25
The Times, 126, 230, 292–3
Times Literary Supplement, 48
Tinker, Tim, 112
Tinling, Teddy, 115–16
Tintinhull, Somerset, 148
Tit-Bits magazine, 270–1
To Dorothy a Son (Muriel Box film), 171–4, 173, 175, 176, 200, 215
To My Darling (Piccinno and Del Signore film), 44
Todd, Ann, 191, 192, 192, 192*, 193
Tomalin, Claire, Several Strangers, xxii
Too Young to Love (Muriel Box film), 203
Tower Hamlets Council, 128
Town and Country Planning Association, 158
Townshend, Ernest, 136–7
Toye, Wendy, 174, 175, 206*
Toynbee, Philip, 31
Transfyndd Power Station, Snowdonia, 161*
Tree, Herbert Beerbohm, 178
Trevelyan, Julian, 37†
Tricorn Centre, Portsmouth, 128
Trinity Square, Gateshead, 128
Troughton & Young wall lights, 120, 121
The Truth about Women (Muriel Box film), 200, 201–3
Tulip rally in Holland, 78
Tunnard, Christopher, 256*
Turner, Walter J., 236–7
Tutankhamun, discovery of tomb, 220
29 Acacia Avenue (Sydney Box/Henry Cass film), 190, 191
Two Cities Films, 190
UNESCO, 237–8, 246, 250
Unité d’Habitation, Marseilles, 107, 126, 127*
United States of America, 139*, 140–1, 150
university education, xvii, 16–17, 98–100, 226–7, 227*, 228*, 274
Urban Splash, 128
van Damm, Nona, 76–7, 85, 90
van Damm, Sheila, xiv, 45; background of, 71; childcare and, 84*; death of (1987), 90; death of Nancy and Joan, 85–6, 87, 90; Joan Laurie and, 81–3, 82, 84–5; learns to fly, 75–6, 76, 79; lesbian sexuality of, 76; physical appearance, 70–1; in RAF Volunteer Reserve, 76; as rally driver, 76–8, 80–1; as road racer, 78–80; Nancy Spain and, 82–3, 84–5; in WAAF during war, 75; Windmill Theatre and, 70, 71, 73, 73–4, 75, 80, 81, 83, 84, 89–90; No Excuses, 75, 76, 77–8; We Never Closed, 71, 73
van Damm, Vivian, 70, 71–3, 74, 75, 76–7, 80, 81
Venetian Bird (Betty Box/Ralph Thomas film), 206
Venice Film Festival, 250
Verity Films, 188, 189–90, 193–4
Verney, Tessa, 221*
Versini, Marie, 209*
Verulamium, Roman, 221
Victoria, Queen, 222
the Victorian Society, 113*
Viking rally in Norway, 78
Vivian, Anthony, 221*
Vivier, Roger, 302
Vogue, 30*, 60*, 111, 253, 302
Vreeland, Diana, 304–5
Wagner, Richard, 162
Wall, PC Ronald, 262
Walton prison, Liverpool, 280, 281
Ward, Barbara, xiv
Warner, Jack, 199
Warner Brothers studio, Teddington, 191
Warren, Tony, 83
Waterford, County, 233, 234
Watson, James, xxiii*
Watson, Winifred, Fell Top, 53*
Waugh, Evelyn, xxviii, 48*
The Way We Live (Jill Cragie film), 189*
The Weak and the Wicked (J. Lee Thompson film), 174
Welty, Eudora, 56†
Welwyn Garden City, 176, 181–2, 185
Wheeler, Mortimer, 221, 221*, 243, 250
White, Antonia, The Sugar House, 309
Whitechapel Art Gallery, 31; This Is Tomorrow exhibition, 116–17
Whitehorn, Katharine, Selective Memory, xv, xxiv–xxv
Wilde, Oscar, 178
Wilkins, Maurice, xxiii*
William Cutbush & Son’s nurseries, Barnet, 156
Williams-Ellis, Clough, 157–8
Wilson, Angus, 56
Wilson, Colin, The Outsider, 112
Winchester College, 229
The Wind Cannot Read (Betty Box/Ralph Thomas film), 210–11
Windmill houseboat fire, 261–8, 290, 291
Windmill Theatre, Soho, 70, 71, 72–5, 74*, 77, 80, 83, 84, 89–90
Windsor, Duchess of, 68
Windsor, Duke of, 47, 68
The Winslow Boy (Anthony Asquith film), 183*
Winstanley, Harold, 284
Winter, John, 105†
Winters, Shelley, 171, 173–4
Wisdom, Elsie ‘Bill’, 77
Withers, Googie, 190
Wolfenden Report, 252
Woman’s Hour (BBC radio show), 62, 65
Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF), xvii, 75
Women’s Farm and Garden Association, 157
Women’s Institute, 21, 154
Women’s Royal Army Corps (WRAC), 293
Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS), 48–9, 54–5, 59
Women’s Social and Political Union, 248*
Women’s Sunday Mirror, 291
Woolf, Leonard, 38
Woolf, Virginia, 15; A Room of One’s Own, 202
Woolton pie, 4
Wright, Reg, death of, 261, 262
Wyndham, Joan, xix
Wyndham-Lewis, Jane, 238*, 244–5
The Years Between (Compton Bennett film), 192
Yield to the Night (J. Lee Thompson film), 174*
Yorkshire Post, 53
Young, Wayland, 126
Yugoslavia, 23
Zywiec summer palace, Poland, 156
About the Author
Photo by Charlie Hopkinson
RACHEL COOKE was born in Sheffield, England. An award-winning journalist, she writes for the Observer and is the television critic of the New Statesman. This is her first book.
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Credits
Cover design by Sophie Burdess - LBBG
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Text
Extracts from the letters of J. B. Priestley are reprinted by permission of United Agents on behalf of The Estate of the Late J. B. Priestley.
Extracts from material by Jacquetta Hawkes are reprinted by permission of Peters Fraser & Dunlop (www.petersfraserdunlop.com) on behalf of Peters Fraser & Dunlop, Drury House, 34–43 Russell Street, London WC2B 5HA Tel: 020 7344 1000 Fax: 020 7836 9539 www.petersfraserdunlop.com [email protected]. The Peters Fraser & Dunlop Group Limited Employment Agents VAT 503209687 Registered in England 218 5448
With thanks to Special Collections, University of Bradford.
Extracts from the papers of Vita Sackville-West are reproduced with permission of Curtis Brown on behalf of The Estate of Vita Sackville-West. Copyright © Vita Sackville-West, 1959.
Copyright
HER BRILLIANT CAREER. Copyright © 2014 by Rachel Cooke. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
Published in Great Britain in 2013 by Virago Press, an imprint of Little, Brown.
FIRST U.S. EDITION
ISBN 978-0-06-233386-5
EPub Edition DECEMBER 2014 ISBN 9780062333889
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* In November 2011 around two thousand women marched through the City of London to protest against government cuts to benefit payments and public services – cuts which, according to the march’s organiser, the Fawcett Society, disproportionately affect women and threaten to set back the battle for equality by several decades. To illustrate this point, many of those who took part had come dressed as Fifties housewives in twinsets and red lipstick, mushroom-shaped hats and leopard-print coats, pink rollers and silk scarves. Already hard at work on this book, I looked on with mixed feelings.
* For a good sense of this, try the novel To Bed with Grand Music (1946) by Marghanita Laski, in which a young mother, Deborah Robertson, embarks on a series of affairs while her husband is serving in Cairo. She neglects her son and spends her money on nightclubs and fripperies, and in doing so falls into debt. Although Laski, who published the book under a pseudonym, exaggerates for effect, her story makes for a bracing antidote to the stoical and loyal wife who holds everything together in the most trying of circumstances. No wonder the (male) critics hated it.
* Though this was difficult. ‘You couldn’t avoid the men who had been hurt in the war,’ Grace Robertson told me. ‘They were everywhere, blind or scarred, on crutches or in wheelchairs.’ This made women less voluble when it came to the subject of equality than they might otherwise have been. ‘I could no more have thought of feminism in the face of what I could see in the streets than I could have flown to the moon. It would have been indecent as far as I was concerned.’
† Robertson wasn’t the only one to worry about the New Look. Mabel Ridealgh, the Labour MP, railed against it, saying, ‘Our modern world has become used to the freedom of short, sensible clothing . . . the New Look is too reminiscent of a caged bird’s attitude.’ Bessie Braddock, also a Labour MP, called it ‘the ridiculous whim of idle people.’